Could Have
by Undercover Duck
Summary: /"She could have just let him be..." But later, upon looking back, maybe she was glad she hadn't./ SoulSilverShipping oneshot


**A/N: So I've been looking at a lot of my old Pokémon fanfiction from last summer, and I've stumbled across quite a bit of SoulSilver shipping.**

**...**

**I was just blown away when I found this one, particularly because I hadn't remembered writing it XD Anyway, I apologize for the fact that it's not exactly in order; when I wrote this, I suppose I didn't have a reference and had apparently forgotten that the Tag battle happens ****_after_**** Mt. Moon...Oh well. **

**^^ Hope you like!**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own pokémon.**

* * *

_._

_Could Have_

_._

She could have just let him be.

But no, she just had to approach him with that suspicious expression on her delicate features, warily asking him why on Earth he was lurking at the window of Elm's lab. He saw it on her face after he shoved her away: she herself figured she should have just left the shady redhead alone.

But she hadn't.

.

She could have just let him keep walking, walking out of sight, out of her life. But something about this infuriating thief, this impolite upstart trainer, told her that he would indeed show up again. So when she'd spotted a trainer card sticking out of his back pocket, she hadn't hesitated to snatch it. The look he'd given her had been murderous. Was it worth a name?

Maybe she should have let him remain a nameless enemy. With a name to him, he seemed a lot more…human. Harder to hate.

But she'd done it anyway.

.

He could have just left her like that.

He could have just walked right out the Radio Tower doors and not say a word about her disguise. He could have just let her get caught, let her plan fail deep in Rocket territory.

But he hadn't.

.

He could have just stayed silent.

He could have just stepped to Clair's side in the Dragon's Den when she made the offer. He could have taken the chance to beat both his rival and the impudent, caped Champion in one match. He didn't have to show weakness by rushing to Lyra's side, he didn't have to plead her onto his team. Maybe he should have just left well enough alone.

But he hadn't.

.

She could have just waved him off.

She could have just shaken her head and promised to battle him _after_ the League. She could have just taken the risk that this would be the last she'd see of him. She didn't have to comply. She could have just turned her back on him and marched right into the League.

But she hadn't.

.

He could have just left.

He could have just disappeared from the surrounding area, never to be seen again. He was only ever going to lose to her, anyway. After she became Champion…there was no point. He didn't have to stick around, didn't have to follow her to Mt. Moon to speak with her once more. He didn't know what compelled him to approach her and speak with her as if she were a friend.

But he had anyway.

.

She didn't have to spend the time.

After he didn't show up again, after he stopped randomly _appearing_ out of nowhere, after the Mt. Moon incident had passed just too long ago, she fretted and worried. But she didn't have to waste an effort. She didn't have to search the two vast regions of Johto and Kanto. She didn't have to scour every town and city for a sign of him that she never received.

But she'd tried anyway.

.

He didn't have to return.

He didn't have to trouble himself to make his careful way to the small country town on the very southeast edge of Johto. He didn't have to approach the house, didn't have to knock on the door. But oh, how her face had lit up when she saw him…it pleased him. It made him feel as if he'd done something right. And she'd flown at him, wrapping her arms around his middle and squeezing the life out of him…but he hadn't minded. She'd cried into his shirt, whimpering about how much she'd missed him, how she'd feared that she'd never see him again. And…how she'd never had the chance to tell him how she felt.

She'd looked up at him with watery, fearful eyes as she waited for a response, but she needn't wait long—he hadn't hesitated to bend down and kiss her lightly, letting the simple contact say all of it for him, let it represent all the words that were never said or couldn't be said.

He didn't _have_ to. His past self would have said that he shouldn't have, shouldn't have fallen for the weakling girl who had such high dreams for herself and a positive outlook on life in general. His past self would have said that he should have just walked away, should have just prevented it all.

But he hadn't.

And maybe that was best.

.

For life is full of decisions. _Ifs, could haves,_ and _should haves_ are part of it, too. But regrets don't get us anywhere—it's looking towards the future and taking opportunities as they come that make life interesting.

So what truly matters aren't the _should haves_ or the _could haves…_ It's when you can say _but I did it anyway,_ and be glad that you did.


End file.
